Britain on Tuesday said it had launched “a large-scale evacuation” of its citizens trapped in Sudan, where 10 days of urban combat have led to hundreds of deaths.
It comes hours after the criticism in the United Kingdom that the government had abandoned British citizens.
Sunak paid tribute to Britain’s armed forces, diplomats and others involved in what he called a “complex operation”.
“The UK will continue to work to end the bloodshed in Sudan and support a democratic government,” he said.
In an official statement announcing the new evacuations, Sunak said the UK military flights were due to depart from an airfield outside Khartoum.
He emphasized that UK citizens should “not make their way to the airfield unless they are called”. He also said priority will also be given to family groups with children, the elderly and individuals with medical conditions.
“The situation remains volatile and our ability to conduct evacuations could change at short notice,” he added.
Foreign Office minister, Andrew Mitchell said on Monday that some 4,000 Britons with dual nationality and 400 with UK-only passports were in Sudan, while 2,000 people had registered with the ministry seeking help to get out.
Chioma Kalu
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